Butler volleyball will
welcome three teams into Hinkle Fieldhouse this weekend for the
Butler Invitational. BU will play UNC-Wilmington and Army Friday,
Sept. 10 and conclude the event vs. Xavier on Saturday.

This weekend marks the
seventh time head coach Sharon Clark has brought a multi-team event
to Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler has previously hosted an invitational
in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007. Butler’s record in
those home events under Clark is 14-8.

Butler went 2-2 last week,
defeating local NAIA school Marian 3-0 before going 1-2 at
Arizona’s Wildcat Classic. Butler defeated Cal State
Bakersfield and lost close matches to Arizona and Louisville.
Senior Jessica Wolfe and junior Maureen Bamiro were named
all-tourney at the event.

The home invitational is
Butler’s third and final multi-team competition of the
season. The Bulldogs begin Horizon League play Friday, Sept.
17 at Loyola.

HOSTING IN HINKLE: For the seventh
time in 11 years, Butler is hosting an in-season invitational at
Hinkle Fieldhouse. BU, which most recently hosted events in 2006
and 2007, is 14-8 in home invitationals under Sharon Clark.

WOLFE THE TOP DOG IN HL: Outside
hitter Jessica Wolfe, named league player of the week on August 30,
leads the Horizon League in kills per set (4.42) and points per set
(4.75). Last year, she led the league in both categories en route
to first team All-Horizon League honors. Her 4.01 kills rate last
season was the eighth best season of hitting in school history. Of
Butler’s last six in-season tournaments dating back to last
year, Wolfe has been named all-tournament in five of
them.

WOLFE REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY: Not
only was Jessica Wolfe prominent among the Horizon League leaders,
the 6-2 outside hitter also garnered national attention. Wolfe was
named AVCA All-Midwest Region and then capture honorable mention
AVCA All-America honors. Nationally, Wolfe finished 2009 ranked
47th in kills and 44th in points.

COACHING MILESTONES FOR CLARK:
Sharon Clark is likely to reach the record for volleyball coaching
wins at Butler this season. Now in her 11th season at BU, Clark
owns 158 wins, just 11 shy of Sharon Dingman’s (1992-99)
record of 169. Last season, Butler’s 3-0 win over Alabama
A&M on Homecoming was career victory No. 250 for Sharon
Clark.

DAPRILE KEEPS DIGGING: Katie Daprile
has 131 digs this season, and in the process has moved into fifth
on Butler’s all-time digs list with 1,566. Daprile needs 71
digs to catch Laura Baire (1992-95) for fourth in Butler history.
The 5-11 senior has put together two of the most prolific digs
seasons in school history, posting a school record 541 digs in 2008
and beating that with 556 digs last season. She currently ranked
third in the Horizon League in digs (4.48) last season.

TOUGH COMPETITION: Butler has played
a very rigorous schedule in its first two weekends. BU’s six
opponents this season include four teams playing at .500 or better
and three high-major opponents.

VERA SETTING IT UP: The setter on
the other end of Butler’s attack success is sophomore Gina
Vera, who was named to the league’s all-newcomer squad last
season. The Joliet, Ill., native stood second in the Horizon League
with 10.79 assists per set last season, and she finished 45th in
the national assist rankings. Vera averaged 10.17 assists per set
at Baylor to open the season.

BU vs. THIS WEEK’S OPPONENTS:
Butler is 11-10 all-time against this weekend’s opponents,
with an 11-9 mark against Xavier. The Bulldogs are 0-1 against
Army, having met the Black Knights in 2006. Friday will mark
BU’s first meeting with UNC-Wilmington.

LESTER TRYING ANOTHER SPORT: Susan
Lester was a standout basketball player for BU the past four years,
scoring 1,275 points and grabbing 781 rebounds. The all-league
hoops player, now in grad school, is spending her fifth year
playing volleyball. Coach Clark says she will see action as a
utility player.

UP NEXT: Butler opens Horizon League
play Friday, Sept. 17 at Loyola. BU will play Valparaiso Sept.
18.